Royaltype plate



Nov. 22, 1927. A

J. J. WALSH ROYALTYPE PLATE Original Filed Nov. 7. .1924

.n 3 a. Q M m I,

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

} UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J'. WALSH; OF MAPLE SHADE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T ROYAL ELECTROTYP]COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN11A.

ROYALTYPE PLATE.

Original applications filed, November 7, 1924, Serial Divided and thisapplication filed My invention relates to electrotypes which mag; beeither positive or negative.

general practice lead molded electrotypes require for their production acopper original engraving which is almost universally of .063 thickness.

The main purpose of my invention is to provide hard-metal-backed"duplicate originals in the form of master electrotypes from whichelectrotypes may be made in quantity and to the best advantage.

A further purpose is to duplicate engravings and photo engravings, cutsof any kind and also type metal, separately or together in such form asto be equally as effective as original engravings and even harder thanoriginal en avings, well suiting them for the productlon ofelectrotypes.

A further purpose is to provide an elec- 29 tro c with a cohesivelyunited backing of hard metal to bring it to normal thickness of platesto be reproduced.

A further purpose is to backan electrotype surface by hard materialcohesively united to the 'electrotype and in rigid and uninterruptedengagement therewith andto utilize the hard plates so produced for theproduction of electrotypes, making the thickness of the plate equal tothe thickness of the backed electrotypes so that, when it does notinclude the entlre printing surface, it may be used along with othercuts to complete the printing surface.

Further purposes will appear inthe specification and in the claims.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by one main form onlselecting a form which is practical, e cient, reliable and eminentlysatisfactory, and which at the 49 same time well illustrate theprinciples of my invention.

Figure 1 is a front face view of an electrotyped (plate, which may beeither printing plate or master electrotype.

Figure 2 is a section corresponding to line 22 of Figure 1 showing amaster plate.

In the drawings similar numerals mdicate like parts.

Reproduction of electrotypes from other quired. The initial plate hasusually can be backed with hard materiaL'co at. 748,413, and April 14,1927, Serial 110. 183,788. July 9, 1927. Serial 1 w. 204,581.

electrotypes where lead moulding (for color Work, for example) isrequired has beenof making successive electrotypes which are.

exact duplicates. Electrotypes from electrotypes have therefore beenlimited to such as electrotyped type matter, and composite matter inwhich the distortion will not-be noticed and in which no registration isrebeen made by wax process or had contained a wax process plate.

I have discovered that an electrotype plate eslvely united to it andfinished to uniform thickness without injury to the face of the plate,

milling it, Serial No. 183,738, filed April 14, 1927, of whichapplications the present application is a division.

These applications show suction clutch holding methods, and cutter andtool finishing methods for holding and surfacing the backs of the platesto secure uniformity of thickness and the exact thickness required. Atthe same time they protect the face of the electrotype.

Though the best results are obtained by lead molded electrotype work, asin the case of all electrotyping Where the lead sheet can be used, myinvention is applicable to electrotypes which have been made by waxmolding processes also and ofiers special advintages with these for someclasses of wor Because of the prior inability to make sucplaces aboutthe country has generally'le quired the reproduction of an originalengraving or photo-engraving for each locality in which the electrotypesare to be used in order that electrotypes may be made from these, or thesupply from one locality of all of the electrotypes intended to be used.

I provide master. electrotypes which are exact duplicates of theoriginal engravings, of cuts of any character, or of type, or of acombination of these and which are capable of standing the samepressures and treatment as those to which original engravings may besubjected. The master electrotypes which I- produce are more rugged andwill withstand more severe pressures andtreat ment than the cuts andtype metal will stand.

In carrying outmy invention I make an impression in lead or in wax andhang this impression in the electrotyping bath to coat it, as in thecase of an electrotype, making thewax surface conductive in the case ofa wax mold as in all wax molded electrotyping work. However, 7 insteadof stopping the electrolytic deposit at the usual thickness ofapproxlmately seven-thonsandths of an inch and backing up the coppershell thus made with electrotype. metal to, the printing thicknessrequired, I deposit upon the electrotype a thickness of metal,preferably copper, such that there shall be room to take a finish outfrom the back and leave a final thickness equal to the standardthiclmess of an engraved plate, that is sixty-three thousandths of aninch. I find that seventy-three thousandths of an inch at the low spotsis ample thickness to allow for this finish cut.

It must be remembered that I am dealing with printin surfaces which arepeculiarly subject to mjuryby against them and that I must thereforetake special care to prevent inju to the face in finishing the back,which in ury to the-face has been the controlling difiiculty inprior'efforts to produce such a plate.

In the plate seen in Figures 1 and 2 the printing surface is shown at 10and the back of the plate is deposited to a thickness in excess of thatshown at 11. The back of the late is then cut off to the level 11 to prouce the finished thickness desired.

Where the master plate finished is that of an engraving or cut and isintended to take the place of the engraving or cut in a com-- pleteplate made up in part of other electrotypes, it is very desirable thatthe master plate produced by my process shall have the same thickness asthat of other engravings and this has led me to standardize thethickness of my finished plate as engraving thick- Y ness,notwithstanding that the greater part of my invention is independent. ofthis.

It will be sufliciently obvious that the type of metal used for thebacking will determine the character of cutting tool most suitable forcutting the matel from the back to bring the plate to the requiredthickness.

reason of. pressure It will be evident that my backing method will applyto negatives as well as positives making finishe d backed negative orpositive plates.

It will further be evident that my invention in the plate whetherpositive or negative is independent of the method by which the hardbacking material is applied provided it be integrally united to themetal of the electrotype; and that the two metals need not be the samemetal even where, as in the illustration given, the means of backing isby electroplating.

The master electrotypes described correspond absolutely with theengravings or other matter from which they have been produced and makeit possible to combine with them cuts or other electrotypes and toreproduce with the same fidelity as from engravings.

It will be evident that I have made it possible to duplicate in leadmolding for any number of printing electrotypes matter which must be waxmolded initially or which will stand asingle lead mold impression only,with perfect registration securing good results. from typed matter andfrom composite plates; and that I can duplicate these as well asengraved originals in the form of master electrotypes. which duplicateoriginals can be distributed to electrotypers throughout the country forthe production from each of as many electrotypes as may be desired withagreement of the reproductions from the different duplicateoriginalssufficiently not only for the reproductions from the same originals toregister for color work but for the reproduction .from differentoriginals to so register.

Where'I referin my claims to positive printing plates it is my intentionto indicate plates which print from a raised surface as distinguishedfrom plates of the intaglio class which print from a sunk d in whichdesign the ink. is deposited an left for the printing operation aftercleaning off tllietink from the non-printing surface of the p a It willbe obvious that in view of my invention others skilled in the art willbe able to secure all ora part of the advantage of mf-y inventionwithout using the same form 0 the invention and it is therefore myintention to include herein all modifications and changes which comewithin-the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what- --.electrotype adapted for leadprocess reproduction of positive printing plates and compositiveprinting plate having a copper backprising an electrotype face and abacking of ing cohesively united to it. 10

hard metal as distinguished from the normal 5. An electrotype shellprovided with a I electrotype metal backing. (ohesively or integrallyunited backing of 5 3. As an article of manufacture, a copper hard metalto bring it to normal engraved positive printing plate having a stiffhard plate thickness. metal backing electrically deposited upon it. 4.As an article of manufacture, a copper JOHN J. WALSH.

